INDIA’S QUICK-COMMERCE COMPANY Blinkit has announced a change in the rules governing one of its services involving the Blinkit ambulance. Deepinder Goyal, founder of Eternal Limited, which owns Blinkit, announced on X that the Blinkit ambulance service will charge Rs 2,500 for non-emergency transfers to hospitals, while emergency services will remain free of cost as usual.

The announcement was made on X on November 5, 2026, after a user from Delhi shared his personal experience of using the Blinkit ambulance service. The user, named Sparsh Sehgal, took to X to share that the Blinkit ambulance had saved his grandmother’s life. Expressing his gratitude, he wrote, “Things went south suddenly, but they reached home in 8 minutes and drove her to the emergency ward promptly. Forever grateful. No hospital ambulance could have managed this response time.”

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Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal responded to the post on X and explained the reason behind introducing charges for the ambulance service. The company noticed that a large number of users were booking the ambulance service for routine check-ups instead of using other means of transport. Taking cognisance of the matter, the company has introduced a fee for the service to minimize the number of non-emergency trips made by some users.

Deepinder Goyal on Blinkit Ambulance Charges for Non-Emergency Cases

Deepinder Goyal wrote in his post on X that Zomato, a food delivery app, was started with a “spirit of service.” He added that the Blinkit ambulance service was launched with a similar vision of providing service. Goyal shared that the Blinkit ambulance service had handled 20,000 emergency cases over the past year and 42,000 cases in total. “We haven't charged a single rupee for any of them. And we want to keep it that way,” wrote Deepinder Goyal.

Although the ambulance service used to be free of cost, Goyal revealed that a growing share of bookings were not for emergency cases. He added, “With everything free, a growing share of bookings are for routine check ups, hospital visits and hospital-to-home transfers, trips that an Uber or private transport could have handled just as easily.” Goyal also shared that booking an ambulance for non-emergency purposes could prevent someone who genuinely needs its assistance during an emergency from accessing the service.

He emphasised that in emergency cases, the Blinkit ambulance service would be provided free of charge. However, users would be charged Rs 2,500 for using the Blinkit ambulance service for non-emergency trips to the hospital. He further noted that the amount charged is in line with the rates charged by private ambulance services. “This money goes to the Eternal Foundation, which runs these ambulances and will help us scale them even further,” wrote Deepinder Goyal.

The Zomato founder noted that the new rule had been introduced to minimize the use of emergency ambulances for situations where they are not needed. He further highlighted that the 10-minute ambulance service had saved thousands of lives. He also addressed Sparsh Sehgal and wished his grandmother a speedy recovery.

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Blinkit Ambulance Booked During Satya Niketan Building Collapse

Blinkit ambulances gained widespread attention during the tragic Satya Niketan building collapse that occurred on September 6, 2026. The building, which was a paying guest (PG) accommodation, suddenly collapsed, resulting in the deaths of seven people and leaving several others injured. Several witnesses claimed that Blinkit ambulances were booked and arrived at the scene within minutes. Locals alleged that the Blinkit ambulance was the first to reach the location.

Netizens reacted to the newly introduced charge for the Blinkit ambulance service for non-emergency cases, with one X user writing, “Why do Indians have a habit of destroying all good things for their own greed?” Another user criticised Indian users, writing, “Don’t give anything free to Indians, most are selfish and lack civic sense.” Several users argued that ambulance services should remain free of cost, regardless of whether the situation is an emergency.

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